Edward Thomas, an attorney, is president of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and an elected member of the Council of the State and Local Government Section of the American Bar Association.

During his 35-year career with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Thomas worked on about 200 disasters and emergencies, serving numerous times as the federal coordinating officer, the president's on-scene representative. He has written extensively on various disaster-related issues.

Thomas holds degrees from Fordham College and the New England School of Law and manages a private law practice.